‘Very pretty,’ his companion agreed, speech also slurred.
Sonya backed up further, anxiety coursing through her. ‘Please leave me be,’ she said, her voice terribly small.
‘Ooh,’ the first man sang. ‘She’s got a posh little accent, too.’ Black splotches entered her vision, tremors running through her. ‘Are you lost, little mouse?’
‘I just need to get past—’
‘We should take her home,’ his companion said, ignoring her. He reached out a hand as if to grab her.
‘Get away from me!’ she cried. She was shocked by the pitch of her own voice; she had never yelled before. Fear was making her behave in ways she didn’t know were possible.
‘There’s no need to fret,’ the man said. ‘Why don’t we take you home, little mouse?’
‘Please,’ she said. Tears fell down her cheeks. She reached into her bag and took out the purse of money. ‘Take this.’ She held it out as an offering.
The men’s eyes went big as saucers when they spotted the glint of gold within the coin purse. Dread coursed through her.
It was a mistake. They only seemed more interested in her now.
‘Must be some rich lord’s whore,’ the man said.
‘Have you got more of that?’ his companion asked. He reached for her, and she shrieked, jolting out of the way.
The coin purse fell as the man barely missed grasping her. She turned and ran. Their laughter sounded in the air, followed quickly by the sound of footsteps as they chased her. A sob rose in her throat as she pushed herself harder, running faster.
She rounded a corner, then reached a dead end. ‘No,’ she gasped, out of breath. Panic gripped her. ‘No, no, no,’ she whispered, looking around desperately for an escape. There was none.
She reached into her bag, pulling out the dagger, but she knew it would accomplish nothing. It was dull and she didn’t know how to use it, and there were two of them. She was powerless.
Hands shaking, Sonya picked up a rock from the ground just as the men rounded the corner, and threw. By some stroke of luck, her aim was true, and the rock struck the second man’s temple. Even through the rain, she saw the amusement on his face morph into stark anger.
She threw the dagger at the other man, then picked up more rocks, throwing blindly and desperately, trying to move away, but there wasn’t anywhere to go.
And then there was nothing left to throw.
Sonya squeezed her eyes shut, afraid. She realized then what a fool she had been to leave the protection of the castle. Her father and brothers were right: the castle was the only place she was safe.
She braced for them to grab her but their hands never came. Instead, there was a commotion of some sort. Sonya opened her eyes to find both men on the ground, a figure standing above them.
She trembled as he turned toward her. He couldn’t have been more than a year or two older than herself, and he had a boyish look about him with his messy hair and bright eyes. His expression was kind.
Despite this—and the fact that he had just saved her—fear coursed through her body like tiny icicles pricking her skin.
Their eyes met—and recognition flashed on his countenance.
He opened his mouth, but before either of them could say a word, Sonya fainted.
3
Sonya woke slumped against a wet brick wall, the boy crouched in front of her.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked. Hand light at her elbow, he helped her stand.
She looked down at the men. Even though they were breathing heavily, their eyes closed, she tensed. A shudder ran through her.
‘Come,’ the boy said. ‘Before they wake.’
He offered her his hand, and Sonya took it. Only after she followed him did she realize she should have hesitated; this was a complete stranger! But hehadsaved her.
